Method for unlocking vehicle door using mobile terminal

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for unlocking a vehicle door using a mobile terminal. The unlocking method comprises: authenticating, by a mobile key management server, a user and a smartphone of the user; authenticating, by the mobile key management server, a vehicle having a door to be unlocked using the authenticated smartphone; generating, by the mobile key management server, a mobile key issuance algorithm corresponding to the authenticated vehicle and smartphone; issuing, by the mobile key management server, a mobile key, using the generated mobile key issuance algorithm, in response to a request from the smartphone; receiving, at the mobile key management server, the issued mobile key via the smartphone and the vehicle; confirming, by the mobile key management server, whether the issued mobile key matches the received mobile key; and requesting, by the mobile key management server, the vehicle to unlock the door thereof, when the issued mobile key matches the received mobile key.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for unlocking a vehicle door using a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
 authenticating, by a mobile key management server, a user and a smartphone of the user; 
 authenticating, by the mobile key management server, a vehicle having a door to be unlocked using the authenticated smartphone; 
 generating, by the mobile key management server, a mobile key issuance algorithm corresponding to the authenticated vehicle and smartphone; 
 issuing, by the mobile key management server, a mobile key, using the generated mobile key issuance algorithm, in response to a request from the smartphone; 
 receiving, at the mobile key management server, the issued mobile key via the smartphone and the vehicle; 
 confirming, by the mobile key management server, whether the issued mobile key matches the received mobile key; and 
 requesting, by the mobile key management server, the vehicle to unlock the door thereof, when the issued mobile key matches the received mobile key. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile key comprises a virtual code configured to authorize the vehicle to unlock the door thereof. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile key issuance algorithm is generated to be unique to the vehicle, based on information related to authentication of the vehicle. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving of the issued mobile key includes:
 transmitting, by the mobile key management server, the issued mobile key to the smartphone of the user; 
 transmitting, via a mobile key transmission server, the mobile key received at the smartphone to the vehicle; and 
 redirecting, by the vehicle, the mobile key received at the vehicle to the mobile key management server. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the transmitting of the mobile key received at the smartphone includes:
 obtaining, by the smartphone, vehicle identification information which is unique to distinguish the vehicle from other vehicles from the vehicle; 
 transmitting, by the smartphone, the vehicle identification information and the received mobile key to the mobile key transmission server; and 
 identifying, by the mobile key transmission server, the vehicle, using the vehicle identification information and transmitting the mobile key to the identified vehicle. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the obtaining of the vehicle identification information comprises obtaining the vehicle identification information from a vehicle ID provider installed at the vehicle. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the vehicle ID provider is configured to transmit the vehicle identification information, in response to a predetermined manipulation on the smartphone. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the vehicle ID provider comprises a NFC tag configured to transmit the vehicle identification information to the smartphone when the smartphone approaches thereto. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the mobile key management server, the issued mobile key to the vehicle via the smartphone; and 
 unlocking by the vehicle, the door thereof, upon receiving the transmitted mobile key. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the mobile key management server, the generated mobile key issuance algorithm to the vehicle. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the mobile key management server, the issued mobile key to the vehicle via the smartphone; 
 verifying, by the vehicle, the transmitted mobile key using the transmitted mobile key issuance algorithm; and 
 When the transmitted mobile key is verified, unlocking, by the vehicle, the door thereof. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the verifying of the transmitted mobile key includes:
 generating, by the vehicle, a mobile key using the transmitted mobile key issuance algorithm; and 
 confirming, by the vehicle, whether the generated mobile key matches the transmitted mobile key.